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In 2006 I wrote A Christmas Fanfare for a concert involving both Auckland Boys’ Choir and Auckland Girls’ Choir. This work for multiple choirs and orchestra was used successfully several times in annual Christmas concerts. In 2010 these two choirs decided to present their own Christmas concert. Rejecting the initial idea of re-scoring A Christmas Fanfare, I offered to write a new piece tailored to the needs of the two choirs, with organ accompaniment. Faithful Choir, Rejoicing Sing is the result.

The text, here in a modern English translation, dates from the twelfth century and is attributed to St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153). I was drawn to the idea of an ancient text being delivered by fresh young voices. The text is a hymn of praise celebrating the birth of Christ.
Each of the voice parts first presents their own verse of the complete text. This is then followed by the four verses being sung simultaneously during a procession, in a kind of canonic texture. Following the procession the same music is heard once more with the parts coming in successively, and the whole piece ends with a final triumphant ‘Alleluia’.

David Hamilton

• Hamilton: Faithful Choir, Rejoicing Sing; computer-set  Year: 2010 

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Arrangements of traditional Polish carols contrasting in mood. Available either in SATB with 2 french horns accompaniment, or SATB with piano accompaniment. They are of moderate difficulty, tuneful and accessible to all singers and audiences.

• Caskie: Five Polish Christmas Carols; computer-set 

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• Caskie: Five Polish Christmas Carols; computer-set 

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For any available melody instrument such as flute, oboe, violin, recorder, keyboard. The melody part can be sung by group or soloist. The four accompanying parts can be sung (SSAA) or played on tuned metallic percussion instruments (chime bars, glock vibraphone...) or both. Accompanying parts range from easyto tricky and can be omitted with others composed by the performers added. Triangles or finger cymbals required at end.

A lullaby for SSAA choir with soprano soloist and melody instrument. This song uses melodic and rhythmic patterns from a Javanese Gamelan piece, also about golden rain.

• Camm: Golden Rain Baby; computer-set 

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• Camm: Golden Rain Baby; computer-set 

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• Dellow: Magnificat and Nunc Dimitis; facsimile 

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• Dellow: Magnificat and Nunc Dimitis; facsimile 

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4 (1,2 dbl picc.),2,2,2; 3,3,3,0; SSA; vln 1, vln 2, vla, vc., db.

• Dixon: My Cathedral; computer set 

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• Dixon: My Cathedral; computer-set 

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percussion: triangle, guiro and tambourine

The true origins of this Irish text are lost in the mists of time although it is generally agreed to date from around the 9th century. Amongst the various stories of its origins are that it was written by an Irish monk in Austria (or maybe Switzerland), in the margin of a manuscript (or maybe on the back of a page), and in Irish. One story even suggests it was written while the monk was working on the Book of Kells (almost certainly false though).

The poem was originally in a form of Gaelic and the generally acknowledged best translation is by the scholar Robin Flower (1881-1946) – an English poet and translator from the Irish language. The name of the cat, Pangur Ban, simply means ‘white Pangur’ or ‘white cat’, Pangur being a common name for a cat. In translation the cat is referred to as male – a talented tomcat!

One source sums up the poem this way:
Sometimes called ‘The Monk and his Cat’, the poem Pangur Ban was written by an Irish monk, in the 9th century. It details the similarities between the scribe hunting appropriate words and solutions, and his pet cat hunting mice.

Pangur Ban was written at the request of conductor Jane Money for Boston City Singers in the USA.

• Hamilton: Pangur Ban; computer-set 

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• Hamilton: Pangur Ban; computer-set 

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• The Treble Voice Choral Music of David Hamilton Vol. 2 

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This setting joins several other works of mine which make use of the poetry of New Zealand poet Robin Hyde, including Paraha for choir brass and organ (1990), Meditation on ‘The Bronze Rider’ for carillon (1990), Road’s End for SSAA choir (1993) and Tryst for choir and jazz trio (1997). Robin Hyde was the pen-name of Iris Guiver Wilkinson (1906-1939). During her brief life she worked as a journalist, novelist and poet, making her living from writing – something very unusual for a woman in those days. She was constantly dogged by ill-health, and after an ill-fated visit to China in 1938 travelled on to England where depression and illness overcame her. She committed suicide the following year.

Prayer of a Woman is a relatively late poem, dating from the last couple of years of Hyde’s life.

This work was written for Mirinesse Women’s Choir of Seattle in the USA, and is dedicated to the choir and conductor Rebecca Rottsolk. The unusual scoring was prompted by the Brahms choral piece for the same forces being programmed.

David Hamilton

• Hamilton: Prayer of a Woman; computer-set  Year: 2009 

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• David Hamilton: Prayer of a Woman; audio 

  Media on Demand | Internal - audio
  

• The Treble Voice Choral Music of David Hamilton Vol. 4  Year: 2013 

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Four percussionists

• Rimmer: Seven Summer Haiku; computer-set 

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• John Rimmer: Seven Summer Haiku 

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• New Zealand Choral Music Vol. 1  Year: 1994 

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• Buchanan: The Canticle of St Francis; computer-set 

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Commissioned by Epsom Girls Grammar School Choir, Opus this work is scored for SSA choir and piano. The sense of a timeless landscape which was inspired by the poem by A.R.D. Fairburn is central to the mood of this work.

• Holmes: The Estuary; computer-set 

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• Leonie Holmes: The Estuary; video 

  Media on Demand | Embedded
  

• Leonie Holmes: The Estuary 

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• NZ Women Composers Volume 4 

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• NZ Women Composers Vol 5 

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• New Zealand Choral Music Vol. 1  Year: 1994 

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